Archive for December, 2008

The December 29th edition of the CassidyCam Weekly Webcast is available for viewing. As some of you may know, we’ve been having various issues with Ustream working properly. So until they get things fixed, we’ll be posting the show on YouTube. This week’s was a couple days late, but it will usually be available every Monday by 7pm Eastern.

Best of all, you can watch right on this page! Join us for our year-end wrap up and New Year’s party:

We will continue our journey into CassidyLand as we embark on 2009. We’re anxious to see what the new year will bring. 2008 brought us so many blessings, new friends and more time to cherish old ones. Here’s to an even Happier New Year!!!!! WHOOHOO!!!!

Here are the photos from our visit with Rebecca Maye. She has gotten HUGE! I’ve always thought she may grow bigger than Cass and now I’m convinced. Once Leslie knocked her into shape in the round pen she behaved for us to do the measuring. She weighs in at 508 lbs. and stands 12.2 hands at the withers.

We measured her butt, too, which is taller right now than her withers.

Hi everybody, this is Scottie (a.k.a. “dad”). I usually let Kathleen do the typing, but this one is all me. I always figured I would save my writing debut for something a little different… and I think this qualifies.

If you pay any attention to national news stories, you’re probably aware of the Casey Anthony case that’s been going on in the Orlando area since summertime. Casey has been charged with murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, and her parents (George and Cindy) have been all over the media saying that Caylee is still alive, and Casey had nothing to do with it. A huge search has been going on for months in hopes of trying to find any trace of the little girl. Well, The whole thing exploded last Thursday when a meter reader stopped to do some potty business in the woods just down the street from the Anthony house, and found the remains of a small child.

At this point I should explain I’m a bigtime news junkie. I live and breathe events like this, sponging up every bit of information available from all the sources I can find. Kath and I have been keeping up with the story since it first broke back in July, and we’ve watched Nancy Grace on CNN almost every night to stay on top of it. I’ve also worked in television production, so I know how this stuff is done. Needless to say the local channels went batpoop nuts with live coverage of the Thursday find, and I watched as much as I could during the morning hours.

My petsitting responsibilities eventually took me away from the tube. We make our living traveling from house to house, caring for our clients’ animals. So I had to give up my breaking-news-viewing to go earn some Cassidy-gets-to-eat money. But the schedule was light, and around 3pm I was done and ready to head home. Only I didn’t head north, I turned south towards Suburban Drive and Chickasaw Trail. Not too far from my last stop, heard there was something going on down there… and I’m always armed with my trusty camera (who did you think takes all those pretty horsie pictures?). What follows is a “behind the scenes” look at the insanity:

Facing east down Suburban Drive towards “ground zero”. TV trucks to the left, gawkers to the right.

Reverse of the previous shot, looking back towards Chickasaw Trail.

An officer stands guard in the street while camera crews scurry about in their tent city.

A news-copter hovers overhead.

Channel 6 anchor Bob Frier prepares to host the evening news only yards away from where the skeleton was found. See that flowery object in the bottom right of the shot, leaning against the tree? That’s a cross, which was the first item placed where a growing memorial to Caylee now sits.

Just across the street from Bob, a Channel 9 reporter and camera operator focus on the Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command Center. Beyond that big truck, back in those trees, is where the remains were found.

Holy crap, more TV trucks? We’re looking south from Suburban, down Hopespring Drive. The Anthony home is just around the bend on the left.

On the way out, I stopped to check out the action at the Anthony home. Even more TV trucks! See the cop cars parked across the driveway on the opposite side of the street? That’s where the baby-killer lives.

The camera never blinks, never sleeps. And that light is wide awake too.

(I offer my apologies on not updating sooner.) Monday was spent holding our nearly 17 year old miniature pinscher, Ramirez. He had to have his teeth cleaned and had several warty growths removed. That means he was put under anesthesia. Scary proposition for such an old man but we have the world’s most capable and wonderful veterinarian so we trust him in his hands. This dog is not just dropped off for surgery as is every other client for the day. Nope, not our Ramirez. When I got to the clinic the receptionist let Dr. Rick know we were there. It was cold so we were both bundled up.

As I held him all snugged up in his coat and blanket he was given a pre-cocktail to take his edge off. Well, usually it just takes his edge off but this time he was snoring into my chest about half a minute later! I cherish those few moments when he relaxes against me. Dr. Rick came in and gave him the rest of his sedation and then swooped him away to the back. I took up residence in the lobby with my feet up and began reading a book.

It was only about an hour later and they brought him out to me. He was still asleep but starting to come around. We have learned it is much better for all of us if I hold him during the waking up process. He was shivering from the cold you get from being under anesthesia so we put a hot water bottle underneath the blanket after putting his coat back on. One of the receptionists went out to my car and brought my big sweatshirt to cover over him, too. I sat there holding him, slightly rocking as people came in and out. No one tried to sit next to us. I think they were all afraid something was really wrong with the old man. One lady, after getting into her exam room, asked, “Is that little dog ok?”, as her eyes teared up! The receptionist assured her he was fine and was recovering from surgery.

We had gotten there at 8am and when it got close to 10:30am Dr. Rick came out to check on us. We sat and chatted for a while. He was pleased he didn’t have to extract any teeth. When Ramirez had his first dental done at the age of 5, we had to pull 10 teeth! Since his teeth are one of the many things we keep up, he hasn’t lost but a few here and there since. We normally give him two dentals a year but this time we held out a bit longer. He has gum recession, but not bad enough it is causing his teeth to be loose. His teeth are in there tight and he can still eat and bite! He proved that as I tried to pry open his mouth to show Dr. Rick a slight growth on his tongue I’d forgotten to have him check. The fact Ramirez still has attitude is something that makes us all happy. We were given the green light to go home as long as one of us would be with him.

We got home and put him right in bed with Scottie. Scottie cherishes those times with him. It’s hard to describe what it feels like when his little butt is laying up against you and the rise and fall of his breathing lulls you to sleep. Oh, we’re going to miss him more than we can imagine. He is a few months away from his 17th birthday and we know every minute is precious. That is why we spoil him even more these days. I got my work done quickly so I could take over napping with him when Scottie had to go out to pet sit. I tried once when I thought he was slightly awake to take him out to potty, but he just kept stumbling. He took this procedure a lot harder than ever before. Finally, when we got up at 5pm he was ready to pee outside and walk a bit. Whew! I had taken the day off from my midday clients but I had to do dinner visits, so Scottie took over again when I left. Dr. Rick made one more call to make sure his most special patient was doing alright. Have I mentioned he’s the best?! Of course, a one-of-a-kind dog, such as Ramirez, only gets the best.

Before and after.

Old man sleeping.

The place where one of the four growths were removed. The stitches will simply fall out by themselves.